Arteta 'disappointed' at Arsenal's January transfer window

Mikel Arteta expressed his disappointment at Arsenal's lack of activity in the January transfer window ahead of their EFL Cup clash with Newcastle United on Wednesday.

Arsenal were one of five clubs, along with Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle and Fulham, that were unable to bring in any signings at the halfway stage of the 2024-25 campaign. 

The Gunners were linked with a host of names throughout the window, with the likes of Benjamin Sesko, Ollie Watkins and Martin Zubimendi all reported targets for Arteta. 

Arsenal were expected to bring in an attacker after Gabriel Jesus picked up a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, while Bukayo Saka is also still sidelined with a hamstring problem. 

Kai Havertz, who scored in Arsenal's 5-1 thrashing of champions Manchester City on Sunday, is Arteta's only recognised striker, with the Spaniard conceding his side will have to be flexible and that he might have to try something different because of the injuries. 

Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are other notable absentees for the Gunners, but Arteta said his team must move on from their frustrations in the transfer window and focus on challenging on all fronts for the remainder of the season. 

"We had a clear intention, which is always when a window opens to explore the opportunities to improve our squad," Arteta told reporters on Tuesday.

"With players with injuries, we've been impacted and we haven't achieved it.

"We are disappointed in that sense, but also, we are very aware that we only want to bring certain kinds of players, and we have to be very disciplined with that as well.

"When you try your best and do things, you see the people, and we share the same intentions. If you don't achieve it, okay, for sure there are things to learn from it.

"But you have to move on and that is a piece that was important at the moment, but now we've moved on."

Arsenal's win over Man City last time out saw them extend their unbeaten run in the Premier League to 14 games (W9 D5), last doing so under Unai Emery in December 2018 (also 14).

And Arteta and his team will be hoping to use that momentum to overturn their 2-0 deficit against Newcastle in their second leg EFL Cup clash with Newcastle at St James' Park on Wednesday. 

Before this season, there have been 32 instances of a side losing the first leg of an EFL Cup semi-final by a margin of two or more goals. Only one of those have progressed to the final, with Aston Villa overturning a 3-1 first leg deficit against Tranmere Rovers in 1993-94.

The Gunners lost the first leg to Eddie Howe's side at the Emirates Stadium thanks to goals in either half from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon, despite posting an expected goals (xG) total of 3.2. 

Arsenal also lost 1-0 at St James' Park in the Premier League back in November. Only against three sides have they failed to score in three different games in a single season in the 21st century (Liverpool in 2021-22, Chelsea in 2013-14 and Man Utd in 2004-05).

"When you compare the emotions of the team after the defeat and today, it's different because we come from very strong performances, especially the one against City," he said.

"It is a moment [for] full gas and [we're] ready to go for it and approach it in a way where we can reach the final.

"The next stop is the final at Wembley, we know how it is and you can feel it.

"The buzz that the game gave us against City and in the manner that we did it. We're going to give it a real go."